Crisis Center Transparency Page
Transparency Matters
As part of the debut of 988, the StarVista Crisis Center is working on increasing transparency of how our services operate for the general public. We feel it is important for help seekers to have as much agency as possible in choosing what services to use in their community. The Crisis Center Transparency Page has a goal to provide more information about how our services work and interact with other county crisis services.
We increased transparency, we also hope to increase clarity and confidence in accessing our services for those who are concerned about utilizing crisis hotlines or crisis response when in need of support.
Our Crisis Philosophy
We believe that “crisis” is a normal part of life that an individual can experience. Sometimes, that crisis is too overwhelming for that person to handle alone. The purpose of our services is to help support that individual in the short-term and empower them to find long-term support and solutions.
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Confidentiality & Mandated Reporting
We do our best to adhere to best practices around confidentiality and we honor your right to privacy. Callers are not required to provide any personal data to receive services on our hotline.
All phone counselors on our hotline serve as mandated reporters. All information shared on our hotline remains confidential unless we must report for legal or ethical reasons, such as suspected child abuse or neglect and suspected elder abuse or neglect (read more about mandated reporting laws here). If you are interested in seeking out a hotline or resources that are not staffed by mandated reporters, please see our alternative resources available below.
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Least Invasive Options
The StarVista Crisis Center acknowledges that involuntary hospitalization and law enforcement involvement should only be pursued when all non-invasive options have been exhausted. Hospitalization and involving law enforcement can potentially have negative side effects including fear, trauma, isolation, disempowerment, loss of income, etc.
Because of this, active rescues are not something enacted on a whim, and we believe it is key to pursue all least invasive options to ensure the greatest amount of safety whenever possible.
Least invasive options may look like:
Caller/Chatter creating a safety plan with a Crisis Center staff
Caller/Chatter agreeing to remain safe until a Crisis Center clinician can offer a follow up call
Caller/Chatter having a friend, neighbor, or family member stay with them to ensure their safety
Caller/Chatter agreeing to utilize mobile crisis response
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Two-Pronged Approach
At the StarVista Crisis Center, our hotline counselors are trained in and practice the “Two-Prong Approach.” The Two-Prong Approach means that a caller/chatter who is experiencing active crisis can speak with our counselors until a plan for safety is established. If the counselor and caller/chatter is not able to agree to safety over the period of the call/chat, Crisis Center workers may need to pursue a higher level of care. This can include collaborative or non-collaborative active rescue.
Active Rescues
An active rescue occurs when hotline workers take action to ensure the safety of individuals at imminent risk or in the process of a suicide attempt. “Active” refers to the Center Staff’s initiative to act on behalf of individuals who are in the process of an attempt or who are determined to be at imminent risk, but who, despite the helper’s attempts to actively engage them, are unwilling or unable to initiate actions to secure their own safety. “Rescue” refers to the need to provide potentially life-saving services.
The StarVista Crisis Center determines imminent risk of suicide if an individual states both a desire and intent to die and has the capability of carrying through their intent. The risk must create an obligation and immediate pressure on Center Staff to take urgent actions to reduce the caller’s risk; that is, if no actions are taken, the Center Staff believe that the caller is likely to seriously harm or kill themselves.
The StarVista Crisis Center believes engaging in active rescue without the at-risk individual’s expressed desire to cooperate should only ever be pursued if they believe that—without this intervention—the individual is likely to sustain a life-threatening injury.
Collaborative Rescues Include:
Caller/Chatter agree to go to the ER to receive an evaluation (either they can take themselves or have a trusted person take them)
Caller/Chatter agreeing to utilize mobile crisis response
Caller/Chatter agreeing to have us call for a wellness check or calling one in for themselves
Caller/Chatter asking us to call emergency services on their behalf
Non-Collaborative Rescues
On occasion, our Crisis Center workers do need to enact non-collaborative rescues. A non-collaborative rescue is conducted without the caller’s input and cooperation. This type of rescue is uncommon at our center and only occurs when a caller/chatter is determined to be at imminent risk through assessment and refuses all attempts at collaborative rescues or de-escalation.
Active Rescue Counts for Fiscal Year 2021-2022
Crisis Services Staff
The StarVista Crisis Center is staffed by both Crisis Center employees and Crisis Hotline volunteers. The StarVista Crisis Center workers are made up of a large and diverse group of caring individuals, many of which also have lived experience with mental health challenges and suicidality.
Crisis Hotline staffing breakdown as of July 2021:
44% exclusively Crisis Hotline staff
28% other Crisis Center staff
28% Crisis Hotline volunteers
Other Crisis Hotline staffing facts:
100% of Crisis Hotline workers and volunteers live locally in the Bay Area
83% of Crisis Hotline workers identify as having lived experience with mental health challenges
83% of Crisis Hotline workers identify as having lived experience with suicide, suicidality, and suicide loss
The majority of Crisis Hotline staff first started as volunteers
Crisis Center Staff With Lived Experience
Crisis Hotline Staffing Breakdown
Crisis Center Hotline Staff Training
StarVista Crisis Center is accredited through the American Association of Suicidology (AAS). In accordance to the AAS standards, every worker and volunteer is required to have a minimum of 50 hours of training, including in-class and hands-on training, before taking solo shifts on the hotline. Topics covered in training include but are not limited to de-escalation, active listening, suicide risk assessment, and non-suicidal self-injury. In addition, all workers receive one-hour introductory trainings on various special topics such as LGBTQ+ communities, disability, military and military family life, substance use, domestic violence, sexual assault, and more.
Crisis Response Services
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Service |
Service Description |
Service Coverage |
Dispatch |
Relationship to Crisis Center |
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Crisis Assistance Response and Evaluation Services is an alternative response to mental health 911 calls. Service calls appropriate for the CARES team include welfare checks, suicidal ideation and other mental health distress, substance abuse, and low-level, nonviolent concerns related to behavioral health. The CARES team will be staffed by a 2-person, bilingual mobile unit made up of a specially trained behavioral health professional and emergency medical technician. |
Half-Moon Bay/Mid-Coast 5 days a week, 8 hours a day |
Law Enforcement and Crisis Center |
Crisis Center is in preliminary talks to collaborate directly with CARES |
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Community Wellness and Crisis Response Team is a two-year pilot program of StarVista and participating police precincts that pairs a mental health clinician with a law enforcement officer when responding to mental health situations. The goal of the immediate response will be to de-escalate the crisis. The Mental Health Clinician will then assess the client and determine the best course of action (e.g., 5150, referral for treatment, etc.). |
San Mateo, Daly City, South San Francisco, and
Redwood City only Monday-Friday, 7am-9pm |
Law Enforcement |
Crisis Center has some limited collaboration with CWCRT but does not directly refer |
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Psychiatric Emergency Response Team consists of a Sheriff’s Detective and one Licensed Mental Health Clinician from Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. PERT reviews all Sheriff’s Office cases involving possible mental illness and conducts follow-up investigation, when necessary, with the goal of connecting patients and families with services and resources that can help manage acute crisis, prevent tragic outcomes, and reduce hospitalizations and incarcerations. |
San Mateo County Sherrif’s Office Jurisdictions Monday-Thursday, 5am-7pm |
Law Enforcement |
Crisis Center does not collaborate with PERT and cannot currently directly refer |
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San Mateo Assessment and Referral Team is an option police have to dispatch a SMART medic to consult with the law enforcement officer. When SMART paramedics assess that a person does not have any acute medical needs, they can transport the individual to the services they need. The SMART program is comprised of experienced paramedics with a desire to provide additional services to behavioral health clients. |
San Mateo County 8am to 10pm |
Law Enforcement |
Crisis Center does not collaborate with SMART and cannot currently directly refer |
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Youth Stabilization, Opportunity, and Support Team is a 24/7 mobile crisis response team of service to any child or youth under the age of 25 that is experiencing an escalation in mental health symptoms within San Mateo County. The Youth S.O.S. Team response includes two response teams that will overlap during a 12-hour response time each day. Those teams are comprised of a mental health clinician and a family partner. The family partner’s role is to help support the family as well as the youth in crisis and assist with resource linkages. |
Youth 0-25 located in San Mateo County Operates 24/7 |
StarVista Crisis Center |
Crisis Center directly dispatches and manages Youth SOS |
Learn more about what mental health crisis response services operate in San Mateo County, and who dispatches them. Click the service name in the table below to be taken to the service’s individual webpage.
988 Involvement
The StarVista Crisis Center is part of the national 988 Suicide Crisis Lifeline, which means that we answer 988 calls that are directed to our center through the 988 network. These calls are forwarded to us via area code. The Crisis Center is designated to receive calls with the area code 650 and some 415. If you do not have a 650 or 415 area code and call 988, your call may be forwarded to another crisis center in the Bay Area. At this time, 988 does not have geolocation access, so we do not know the location of the caller automatically.
The majority of our calls come from our local line, 650-579-0350. Our local line will continue to be available for all callers. If you do not have a 650 or 415 area code but wish to call the StarVista Crisis Center, please make sure to use the local line.
Alternative Resources
At the Crisis Center, we understand that our services may not be the right fit for everyone. However, this does not mean that individuals should go without care, support, and connection. Please see the list below featuring alternative services that San Mateo County residents can access.
Crisis Center is not associated with the following resources, and cannot speak to their operation, staffing, or response models.
Please note that warmlines are not 24/7, and some may forward to 988 or the Crisis Hotline if calling outside of their service hours.
NAMI San Mateo County Warmline:
650-638-0802
County Resources
Heart & Soul Peer Warmline:
650-231-2024
California Peer Run Warmline:
855-845-7415
State and National Resources
The California Friendship Line:
888-670-1360
Wildflower Alliance:
888-407-4515